Lever-shears



B0 ModeL)" J. w. DOUGLAS.

LEVER SHEARS. .810. 321,804. Patented July 7,1888.

129 G o 11m) g 8. 88811%: 11 '1 UNITED STATES PATENT JOSEPH W. DOUGLAS, OF MIDDLETOWN, CONNECTICUT.

LEVER-SHEARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,804, dated July 7, 1885.

Application filed June 10, 1884.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JosEPH W. DOUGLAS, a citizen of the United States, residing at Middletown, Connecticut, have invented new and useful Improvements in Lever-Shears for Cutting Metal, &c., of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to lever-shears for out ting sheet metal and other material, and has for its object to provide a simple, powerful, and efiicient device for such purposes, wherein the operator may easily throw the cutting blades into close and accurate engagement, or effect a slight separation of their edges, as circumstances may require.

My invention consists in a lever or power shears having the lower fixed blade mounted upon a supporting bed-plate, the upper or movable blade pivoted upon the heel thereof, and having the rearwardly-projecting portion forked to receive a friction-disk carried by an actuating-lever which is fulcrumed upon a bearing rising from the bed-plate in rear of the jaws.

My invention also consists in the combination, with the fixed jaw of a lever shearing mechanism, of a movable jaw pivoted upon the heel of the fixed jaw, an actuating-lever engaging with the rearwardly-projecting portion of the movable jaw, said lever being fulerumed upon a stud having a swivel-bearing upon the base-plate, whereby the lateral movement of the lever throws the movable blade toward or from the fixed blade, thereby securing a close and accurate engagement of the cutting-edges, and compensating for the wear of the parts.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is aplan view. Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken through the center of the actuating-lever and its support, and Fig. 4 is a side elevation of a modification.

Ain said drawings represents a bench-support,or portable block,upon which is mounted a bed-plate, B, formed of metal, from one end of which rises a post, C, upon which is formed a stationary jaw, D, which supports the cutting-blade a, said blade lying in a channel or recess formed in the vertical face of the jaw, to which it is secured by screws 1) in the usual manner.

Upon the heel of the fixed jaw D is formed (No model.)

a bearing, E, for the upper or movable jaw, F, said bearing receiving a pivot-pin, F, upon which the movable jaw turns. this. pin is threaded and provided with a thumb-nut, f, by which the upper and lower jaws may be drawn closely together.

The upper or movable jaw,F,projects rearwardly from the pivot-bearing F, and is pro vided with a fork, G, having the upper and lower curved branches, 9 and 9. Between these branches plays a friction-disk, I, journaled in the forked end of a lever, K, which is fulcrumed upon astud or similar support,L, rising from the bedplate B. It will readily be seen that by raising the lever K the movablejaw F will be raised, said jaw carrying a cutter-blade, j", mounted and secured thereupon iua manner similar to that already described in connection with the lower jaw and its cutter. It is evident that, as the cutting power of these jaws is exerted by the downward stroke of the operatinglever, and as friction is, as far as possible, eliminated, I obtain increased power together with great strength and simplicity of construction.

The stud L, upon which the actuating-lever K is fulcrumed, consists of an upper portion having two forks or parallel arms, ll, between which the lever is supported by means of a fulcrum-pin, m, passing through each. This stud is provided with a swivel, M, which is seated within a socket in the bed-plate B, and provided with a circumferential groove, n, which receives the endof a screw, n, tapped through the bed-plate. This screw prevents the swivel from being thrown out of its socket by. any movement of the actuating-lever K, while at the same time it permits the free swivel movement of the stud-bearing.

It will readily appear from Fig. 2 that the operator, by a slight lateral movement of the actuating-lever K, can throw the cutting-edge of the movable jaw F closely against the edge of the fixed jaw D, and retain these cuttingedges in close engagement throughout the entire stroke.

By these simplemeans the wear of the cutters, as well as of the pivot-pin F, which supports the movable jaw, may be compensated, and the efliciency and accuracy of the shears greatly promoted,

Upon the swiveled stud L, I form a stop- The end of lug Z, which limits the downward movement of the lever K. The upward movement of said lever is limited by the upper forkedbranch, g, of the rcarwardly-projeeting jaw 5 1 which strikes the lever K behind its friction-disk and stops its upward movement. In Fig. at I show a construction wherein the bed-plate is in the form of an angular or other shaped shank, B, which can beset in asocket in the bench orsupport A. This bed-plate or shank carries the post 0, to which the stationary cutting-blade a is fixed, and such post also serves as the bearing or support for the fulcrum-pin F, of the movable jaw F, as well a'; the bearing or support for the fulcrum-pin ofthe lever K. In this instance the forked shank G of the movable jaw embraces a friction disk or roller, I, carried at the side of the lever.

Having thus described my invent-ion, what I claim is 1. In a lever shearing mechanism, the combination, with a fixed jaw, of a movable jaw a-tuated by a lever which is fulcrumed upon a support swivcled upon the base-plate,

whereby a lateral movement of said lever throws said movable jaw toward or from the fixed jaw, substantially as described.

2. In a lever shearing-machine, the combi- 0 nation, with a fixed jaw, of a movable jaw pivoted to its heel, and having a rearwardlyprojecting forked extremity which receives a irictioirdisk, the latter being journaled upon the forked end ofan operating-lever fulcrumed 5 upon a stud rising from the bed-plate, sub

stantially as described.

In a lever shearing-machine, the combination, with the bed-plate, of a post carrying the fixed jaw, a movable jaw pivoted to the heel of the fixed jaw, and having a forked rearwardly-projeeting extremity, which receives a friction-disk carried by an actuatinglever, a stud upon which said lever is fulcrumed, and a swivel-joint between said stud and the bed-plate, substantially as described.

4. In a lever shearing-machine, the combination, with a movable jaw having a fork, G, of an actuating-lever havingjournaled in its end a friction-disk, I, which engages with the branches of said fork, substantially as described.

5. In a lever shearing-machine, the combination, with a fixed jaw, of a movable jaw pivoted to the heel thereof, and having a rearwardly-projecting forked extremity, an actuating-lever, K, fulcrumed upon a swivcled stud, L, and a friction-disk carried by said lever and engaging with the forked end of the movable jaw, substantially as described.

6. The combination of abed-plate carrying a post, having an attached fixed cutting-jaw, a movable jaw fulcrumed on the post and provided with a forked shank, and a pivoted lever having a friction disk or roller engaging the forked shank, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH \V. DOUGLAS.

Witnesses:

\VM. II. BURRo'ws, M. B. COPELAND. 

